River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1887-03-17

terests in the st. CroiX Valley, in
which we are interested, directly and
indirectly. Some there are here to-
day, who will recOllect meeting held
in Bracket Hall little more than
three years ago, the first time Prof.
Henry came here. Then we had, the
first half day, think, less than twenty
and at no time over one hundred per-
sons present. l can but think the
increase of numbers represents the
measure of the increase of interest
among farmers in the improved meth
DDS of husbandry.
When we first broke up the soil of
the prairies, not only in our own val
valley but all through that vast region
known as the West, the crop at first
was wheat, for these reasons: There
Sas, and is now, always cash market
for it. Then it was a sure crop, more
sure than corn and potatoes. Grass
we had none but the wild prairie
grasses of the country. Raising wheat
occupied about three weeks in the
spring, and from about August LIST till
the ground froZe the remainder of the
year there was little on the farm to
do, besides caring for few cattle and
horses and getting the years supply
of wood, and this was often not done
as many housewife recalls to her
sorrow. This farming was easy. and
profitable if one does not value the
impOveTishment of the soil. After "a
score or more of years the richest soils
refused to respond to this take and
not give" process,-and TO those who
failed to save the thrift of these years
of plenty, the years of seant crops
brought disappointment, ana some
times distress. In the older part of
the state of Wisconsin the land be-
came so entirely exhausted of such
food as the wheat plant requires that,
in places, there was absolutely no
wheat grains formed, aud where by
chance there was plant food the chintz
bugs gathered the harvest before the
farmer. | hope we have the fore
thought to turn our attention to other
crops before our lands becOme so en-
tirely exhausted as to give us no
Ieturns whatever. Such farming is
like driving the exhausted horse till
he falls dead in the road, when rest
and food in the proper season would
have saved perhaps to the owner
years of valuable service.
We as farming community are
now nearly where the southern and
eastern counties of Wisconsin were
twenty years or SO ago-with this ad-
vantage, we may profit if we will by
their experience. We can see what
they did in like circumstances and it
becomes us to learn of them. This is
just where the value of the institute
work comes in. i few Eastern farm
els come among US and give us the
results of their experience in changing
from wheat raising to other pursuits
that we may learn how they have be-
come wealthy, or at least independent.
There is now marked depression
in business in and around this city,"
said prominent business man of the
city to me the other day In discussing
the erection of a building for a cream
cry. 1--WE must do something. There
are nine business tenements empty on
this street, mot one of them was a
salOon), and about twenty residences
to let within the city limits. 1t goes
without saying that the prosperity of
the farmer is the foundation of the
prosperity of the business man, be he
merchant. manufacturer or labOreT.
The period of low prices has come to
stay, probably. The difference be-
tween raising at a profit or loss is
very small indeed. 1t is by very close
economy one can make enough off a
farm to support and educate a family,
and earn any satisfactory income from
the value of the investment. The
condition of the exclusive grain farm
er is bad enough to, | hope. set him to
seeking a more excellent way. The
first idea is to raise larger crops. To
do this, the soil must be enriched and
better cultivated. 1t is the excess of "a
large crop over a small one that gives
profit. But when from over-pToduc-
ton or exhaustion of soils for one
particular crop it no longer pays to
raise such crop, it is the part of pru-
dence to change to some other, shat
gives promise of paying better.
Wheat is but one of the many pro-
ducts of the soil necessary or desira-
BILE to supply the many demands of
the nineteenth century. But to show
what farmers in other parts of the
state have done, and are doing now,
will refer you 70 the Wisconsin Census
Report of 1885.
First let us compare the price of the
land in the county of Pierce with that
of some of the older counties of the
state. The figures from the census
reports are very greatly reduced that
they may be more easily remembered.
st. Croix produces more wheat than
any other county, and Pierce county
is a very good second. Sheboygan.
FOn du Lac, jefferson, Grant and Wal
worth are the largest cheese producing
counties. Grant exeels in hogs, except
Dane and Rock; and IN cows and corn.
except Dane. Winnebago is the sixth
in sheep industry, and next to Mil
waukee. the third in manufactures.
WalwOrth exCels in butter, and except
Waukesha, in wool.